I'm telling you this because it's held me back from lots of my quilting and crafty ideas, etc. I have a longarm machine with a Q-Bot. I've been soaking up every uTube and tutorial that I can soak up to learn how to use it. I'm afraid. My hubby promises me that it won't blow up. LOL He promises me that the longarm police won't show up to take me to jail. He is the best....he will try ANYTHING. I was horrified when he wanted to put down our laminate flooring and had never done it before. He read the directions and did it perfectly. He said the only way to learn is to try it.
Why am I like that? Can anyone relate? I am very blessed to have my own sewing studio filled with "to die for" quilting fabric, and everything else. I won a GO!Baby. Never taken out of the box. I have a Cricut. Never taken out of the box. I have enough fabric (literally) to open my own quilt shop (and I'm seriously not lying here). I want to PRODUCE like I see on all these blogs. It seems like every day there is something new that they have produced (hi Barb!). I spend more time organizing the stuff than using it. Stupid.
God has blessed me with the gift of creativity. I'm not using that gift to the best of my ability. I pray daily that He will help me with this.
Anyway, enough of that. I do have some pictures to show you of some purses I've made, but will save them for later. I have some organizing to do in my studio. LOL
I would welcome ANY comments from those of you that have the same problem, or if you have some suggestions, or just want to say hi!
Love and hugs from VERY hot and DRY Texas,
21 comments:
I'm in Texas too, but it's raining here now. A record for us! It rained yesterday and today. I'm a perfectionist too at some things. But I've gotten better. I got a sewing machine and have been experimenting. I read lots of blogs and see lots of ideas and tutorials and I just try things. I hate to waste fabric, but sometimes you fail. I try to blog about those too, so I can see how far I've grown. I'm putting together my first quilt top right now and I'm afraid it won't look right or will look stupid with all the crazy fabrics - because I have no sense of color, etc- but I'm doing it and my daughter will love it. That is all. Hope it rains on you today too!
I can relate to your perfectionistic tendencies so well:) I have enough fabric to clothe a small third world country and fear messing it up if I cut into it- or of not having the ONE coordinate that I need because I used it for something else. I would love to overcome my fear enough to just enjoy and not be worried:) I wish we were closer to one another; we could start a support group:) Have fun sewing!
Re Perfection: I have the same problem...it's like we are twins. I've been working on it over the years. One thing I find helps is to take classes...sounds strange but I find it very liberating to take a class in something out of my comfort zone. In a class, your learning something, it's scheduled play time, usually with a friend or two, and it's not supposed to be perfect the first time. I have so much fun and I learn something new...of course then I add a gazillion more things to my stash but hey, it's cheaper than therapy...or is it...hmmm...I've taking silk paper making, felting and machine embroidery to name a few
How you give it a try!!
Wanda
I know exactly what you mean. It's all so pretty I don't want to wreck it by cutting it. It's all so organized I don't want to mix it up by taking it out and using it. Unfortunately I have no solutions, just empathy.
Hi,
If you try something new in your own little room and it doesn't turn out throw it away and move on. No one needs to know. But you might get something fantastic and have fun trying. My problem is I don't have the patience to teach someone. I get mad when they don't get it the first time and want to do it myself. So you see we all have our little faults.
Try something new and don't be afraid to show us, it isn't doing any good just sitting there.
Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches
I understand how you feel. I've got three bookcases filled with fabric, at least a hundred quilt or wool applique KITS waiting for me to make, drawers full of great patterns, a Bernina 440QE to sew on, and a perfectionist personality that keeps me from trying, for fear I will ruin something. I don't have any answers unfortunately.
all I can say is go for it ... its a learning curve .. if you make a mistake you try again .. don't be put off and not use perfectly brilliant machines .....try making something small to get used to the feel of the machines .. a small bag or a cot quilt .. something that can be your practice piece almost like the "old Band samplers" were used for :) have a go what have you got to lose ???? love mouse xxxx
You are amazing the way you are. Don't sweat the small stuff girl!
I feel your pain! (maybe not quite as bad with the notebook paper, but close) I've gotten a little better as I've gotten older, but I still don't like to do things if I can't do them well and will be a bear when I try to do them. I usually point out all the errors on things I make when if I had just kept my mouth shut no one would have ever noticed that the stitches got a little wonky on the binding, etc. I also have major issues with randomness in quilting - I've put off putting blocks together forever b/c I can't seem to sew them together without some sort of pattern or balance. :0) ~sigh~
Just go for it! Break that GO! Baby out and get after it. I would love to get my hands on one -probably will be a Christmas/Birthday present this year. What's the worse thing that could happen? You'd have a bunch of cutouts to add to your wonderful stash.
My husband has laid our laminate floor down. It's not perfect and somehow I've learned to accept that - maybe because now I'm more worried about getting the dust bunnies cleaned up. lol
I'm in Texas too. Work downtown FW (98 degrees currently) but live about 45 miles further west and it's already hit 100 there and it's barely noon! We have missed all the rains. They always go south around Granbury or North of us in Weatherford. I hope our plants don't completely die - we've got water restrictions too so can't water as much.
Anyhoo - I hope you find some peace. There's nothing wrong with a little perfection. I wish you the best! Stay cool!
I like the taking a class suggestion! How about trying a different purse pattern from what you have been using? Carolyn, your stitching, sewing, and quilting talents are awesome! I hope you will give your Go Baby and Cricut machines a chance!
Robin in Virginia
Whew... I am not alone, yes I too am a perfectionist just ask my very patient family! I procrastinate over starting new projects in case I can't do it, will those seams match? will the colours look good together etc But the urge to create finally comes and I just to it! I have also decided to push my boundaries(big time) and am joining in the Farmers Wife QAL, hey if I muck up one 6" block I figure it's not much fabric wasted, just try again and I am using several fig tree lines to make it so I know the colours will be ok together.
I hate giving my quilts away what will people think when they see that tiny mistake, will they see it or will they love it? oh the dilemma! I should know by now that each gift I've made has been received with much affection but... still I worry Lol We can only encourage each other! Oh and the notebook thing I hear ya!
I am (and always have been) my own worst critic! I know when there is a mistake and that becomes all I can see - even when I know no one else will notice it (unless I point it out, and I often do!)
Your stuff rocks! Crank up that long-arm and get going!
Yes mam, right there with ya :) I have always been that way too- just how we came! I think it can be a good thing because it can give us the ability to do anything we set our minds to. That is a great gift! I try to think of it that way :) I will work and work and work to do something until it is just the way I want it- sometimes that is on the first try, sometimes no where near the first :). I would go NUTS to see your fabric- I am new to quilting and would love a nice "stash" and a quilting arm (a bigger machine too) and a Go Baby! Just jump and you'll realize that it doesn't hurt to land- enjoy all those goodies and make something out of your head so that it can't be "wrong"! Just have fun- start little, with pillows or mini quilts, and enjoy the time! I hope you'll continue to share- obviously, there are lots of us "perfectionists" out there! We can share our gifts together :) Enjoy your day!!
I wish there was something I can say that would work for you. My friends claim that I am a perfectionist, but I am always willing to try new techniques and learn from my mistakes. And what do I do with my mistakes? I either hang on to them to remind me of the lessons I learned or I give it away to charity. And, by the way, what I think are mistakes, my friends laugh at. They think it's a blip. I hope you can find it in you to try new things. Whatever you make will bring a smile to someone else's face.
There are so many of us who strive for perfection beyond what is healthy! I've learned that it's okay to throw things away. That sounds awful but it's true. And I've learned that you can turn some things into drawer liners - so much nicer than paper. :) And I've learned that some quilts can go to charity and will keep someone warm and since mostly they aren't quilters they won't know about the mistakes. And I've learned that in my quilt guild I only do show and tell when I keep my creation in the bag until I walk up to the front and I immediately refold it and put it back in the bag. Everything looks good from a distance! But mostly I've learned that even if I don't do a very good job at whatever I'm creating my friends still love me - and that in itself is liberating. blessings, marlene
Hey like you I tend to spend my time sorting out my bits and pieces but I really enjoy doing it and going through it all I realise I forgot I actually had some of it.
You are perfect the way you are so don't get worrying about it xx
And i thought it was just me, lol
I even re write shopping lists if i make a mistake or i don't 'like' my writing!! So you are not on your own.
I hope you have the courage to start making wonderful things with your fabric soon :-)
Thellie, I think we talked about this before....nobody is perfect and so who cares if you make a mistake. Just do a little thing that you've never done before and take it from there. Sweet Bob is absolutely correct....there are no police out there that will come and arrest you if you've made a mistake.
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO.
Luv ya,
Louie
I have learned over the years that we all make mistakes, and when I make a crafty mistake, I can usually fix it. But... If I can't fix it (or am not willing to frog it to fix it) it can be fudged usually. I know the mistake is there, but no one else can tell. And honestly, that just makes my piece unique! Try not to worry about doing it right, and use your formidable brain power to come up with new projects. I know, easier said than done. I wish you the absolute best of luck!
Just remember, when you pass on, your children will take all of your sewing materials, consider it archaic and antique, and sell it at an estate sale for $2/bag. So, USE IT! And enjoy. (But know that lots of people have the same problem.)
Incidentally, have you considered buying cheap cheap cheap yardage and making something with it - it is much easier to cut into $3/yd junk than $10/yd favorite, and it will help you get over what I call "paralysis of indecision".
Cheers!
I could have easily written this. I am, without a doubt, a perfectionist. I used to be worse than I am now, but realizing that perfectionism is part of the reason why I'm in the mess I'm in has helped me break some patterns. If I always wait until I can do something perfectly, life will slip by without me being able to do so many things I want to do. Sew for my girls, make jewelry with and for Hopper and Scooter, garden, etc., etc., etc.
As a result, I made Bugster's wedding cake last year and surprised the kids with it after they were married at the courthouse, I made the topper for Bugster and Bubster's wedding cake when they had their actual wedding this summer, and I was able to make 3 really fun pinatas over the last 2 years for 3 different weddings. (Unfortunately, the only thing I've actually blogged about with pictures so far is the wedding cake I made last year, but in due time. lol)
It's helped to imagine the very worst that could happen, if I don't do something perfectly. Amazingly, the very worst has never been that anyone has died, been hurt or the world would come to an end. The best is that I have gotten to participate in life like I haven't in a really long time.
I wish you the very best. :::hugs!:::
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